Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, which means that flower sales are up and so is depression. For some reason many people think that if they are not in a romantic relationship on February 14th, then they have a problem, or that they are a problem. And where would they get this wrong idea? Oh, yeah, I see, culture is shouting it at them. Ugh. And yet, no matter what the jewelry store ad is telling you, you must remember giving out Valentines in school to your classmates, right? Did that mean NOTHING to you?! I’m currently spending the week with class lists, helping my kids prepare to make sure that each of their friends feels loved this weekend. Okay, full disclosure, my wife has used her superior artsing and crafting skills to help out more than I have, but my point is that love comes in many shapes and sizes, and it is something worth celebrating.
Since we don’t celebrate romantic love with our children, we can do other things to teach them about love. Cards for classmates is one thing, special traditions with family is another. And do you know what makes any holiday tradition more special? That’s right! Music! And so, in honor of a Valentine’s Day that focuses on more than just romance, I have rounded up some new music for you that will help you enjoy this special time with your kids in a positive way.
HEARTBEATS (Mighty Mo Productions)
A while back I mentioned to you all that I had been sent a compilation CD from new kindie music label Mighty Mo Productions. And I am pleased to report that they have sent a follow-up along! Heartbeats is an album all about love, in its many facets, and it features 12 amazing artists, some of whom (Josh and the Jamtones, Sunshine Collective, Caspar Babypants) I have recommended to you before, and some of whom are new and exciting to me. If you want a love day soundtrack, look no further than this musical festival of tenderness and joy.
- Little Bitta You, by Andrew & Polly – We love Andrew & Polly in our house, so when this track from their Odds & Ends album kicked off this compilation I knew I was in for an excellent ride. This catchy little bittava ditty is a great tribute to anyone that you might want to spend some time with.
- Love Comes Back, by Jim Cosgrove – This bluesy, jazzy number spreads the message that when you give love, you get love back in return. The more love you give out, the more comes back, and you’ll be coming back to this track over and over again.
- Our Love Fits, by Danny Weinkauf ft. Laurie Berkner – I guess I’m drawn to the more uptempo tracks here, or maybe I just can’t resist Laurie Berkner, but this tune has been stuck in my head for days. And once I figured out the song was not called “Elephants” it made even more sense!
A FROG NAMED SAM: A MUSICAL FOR CHILDREN (Ben Rudnick & Friends)
So Ben Rudnick wrote a song called “A Frog Named Sam,” and it got so popular that he decided to craft an entire play around the adventures of Sam and it obviously needed a soundtrack. This is that soundtrack. So why is it on my love roundup, aside from the fact that I love it? Well, here is why:
- Love is a Superpower – You want a song about just how much love is capable of? Listen to “Love is a Superpower.” An epic power ballad of a love song, this could have come straight out of the 70’s with a kickin’ horn section and a definite groove, and you will feel it. Trust me.
- My Horse – You can also love your horse you know. My kids love this track, about someone who cannot find their horse. It is very silly, all fun, and tangentially related to love so I am including it.
- The Adventure Song – Okay, this song is not about love, but it is a fantastic song, and as this is the year of adventure I going to recommend it to you anyway. Just get the whole album.
I CHEW (HULLABALOO)
From the hipster clip-art-looking pandas saying puns on the minimalist green cover, I never would have guessed that this would be a country-western-inspired folk-rock-bluegrass album. Good thing I didn’t have to guess, because Steve Denyes and Brendan Kremer have cut together songs from their song-a-day-for-21-days challenge and created something unusual and fun. Some tracks are more successful than others (I wish they had not started off the album with “Birthday Fish,” which I thought seemed slightly weaker and more awkward than most of the other songs, but would have fit in better later in the album), but overall I found it lively, entertaining, and not at all what I was expecting, in a good way. (I Chew releases Feb. 26)
- I Can’t Let It Go – Other than the fact that it is about “stuff,” this track really is the perfect love song. I want it because I can’t have it, and when I get it I want something else. Ah, l’amour! Also, this is pretty much the exact mindset of every toddler.
- I Wear Pink – Sometimes the things you love are not looked upon with compassion by everyone else. This is the most important song on the album and, even better, it is really good. As a parent, I just want to say thank you to Hullabaloo for writing this love song from a little boy to his dolls and the color pink.
- Boring – This brilliant song seems like the twist at the end will reveal the true love involved, until the twist is that there is no twist.
- You Are Loved – Sweetness incarnate. I dare you to listen to this without feeling love. For a raw a cappella version listen to the original. If you prefer accompaniment, listen to the reprise. Both are excellent.
I BELIEVE IN LITTLE THINGS (Diana Panton)
Diana Panton sings jazz, and she is amazing. This is not just my opinion; you can ask all of her awards about it too. And now she has decided to use her powers of loveliness to record an album for children and families, choosing an incredible array of songs that parents will recognize and that their kids will fall in love with too. Not all of the songs are about love, and yet I can’t listen to a single one of them without feeling that warm feeling all over. If love had a voice, it would be Diana Panton’s. (This album releases March 18, so not in time for Valentine’s Day, but still worth picking up.)
- Pure Imagination – Here is a quandary I have had often in my musical life: when I hear a cover song, do I like it better if I like the original? In other words, how can I properly judge the excellence of two song interpretations when I already have fond feelings for one of them? I can’t. Sorry. All the tracks are good, but I walked into this album loving this one, and I walked out loving it even more.
- I’m Going To Go Back There Someday – I sang this song at my senior concert in high school, and make no mistake about it, this is a love song. Places, times, and memories can be loved just as much as people and things, and this song, more than any other song I have ever heard, perfectly captures that longing for the things you love that have no name.
- Hushabye Mountain – This is my son’s favorite bedtime lullaby. I know he feels loved when I sing it, and I feel love just hearing it. The word “love” never appears in the lyrics, and yet do you really need words to express love?
- The Rainbow Connection – How she got two songs from “The Muppet Movie” onto the same album I will never know, but I salute her for it. This is one of the best songs ever written. Period. And love is connection.
LOVE (Laurie Berkner)
Kindie music pioneer and superstar Laurie Berkner has been releasing themed compilation albums over the past year, and her latest is “Love” which features songs about, you guessed it, love. As always, if you already own all of her albums there is nothing new here, but if you don’t this is a particularly good starter pack.
- Open Your Heart – A beautiful plea that seems vulnerable when I think about it, and yet is sung with such a plaintive confidence that the conclusion seems foregone and faith in love and humanity is unquestioned. Awesome.
- I Gave My Love a Cherry (The Riddle Song) – Laurie sings this one with her daughter, and it will melt your heart.
- Fly Me To The Moon – This classic tune is given a new spring in its step by Berkner. This is a love song you can sing to anyone.
CLUB CALLED AWESOME (The Singing Lizard)
This whole album sounds like a pop/synth creation transported forward in time from the late 80s-early 90s. Which means, clearly, that I love it and it is awesome. It is a whole club full of awesome. Yes, one can imagine women with large hair and spandex onesies stretching alongside permed men with crotch bulges as this music plays in the background, but that is probably just for us parents who grew up in that time. Instant nostalgia! And yet there is something new about it that kids respond to, with universal themes of hope and progress. We’re all growing up, and it’s exciting. (Club Called Awesome releases March 25)
- Club Called Awesome – “Let’s start a club where anyone can join.” Sounds good to me. That’s unconditional love. “We can do whatever we want in the club of me and you.” That’s friendship and love. Add this to your playlist.
- Celebrate – So after all of this you still don’t like Valentine’s Day, and you wonder why we need a “special day” to hold up what we ought to be living every day? Then this is the song for you. Celebrate every day, spread the love and the joy, and make each moment remarkable.
- Be Yourself – What can be more loving than telling someone that who they are is wonderful? You need to love people where they are, and not where you think they ought to be.
I hope this music gives you some ideas for creating your own love-themes Valentine’s Day playlist with your kids, for this year and many more to come. Do you have other favorite love songs for children? Share them here, and maybe we can put together another playlist together!
I got all of these downloads for free so I could review them, but this in no way influenced my position on the issues of musical quality and awesomeness.